Exhibit at African American Heritage Museum began with a book

View full sizeStaff photos by Kristie Rearick"Little Black Sambo" items are on view as part of the exhibit, "Stereotypes," open at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in Buena Vista Township, in Atlantic County though May 31.

Ralph Hunter recalled hearing the story of “Little Black Sambo” over and over again in grade school. But he never actually listened to the tale.

One of only three black students in his class in Philadelphia, every time his teacher would read the story, he would cover his ears with his hands.

Some years later, now an avid collector of African-American artifacts, Hunter found himself inside an antiques shop in North Carolina.

“I asked the sales lady if she had any interesting African-American pieces,” he said. “She said she had one piece, but her boss didn’t want to display it because it might offend customers.”

View full sizeRalph Hunter, founder of the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in Newtonville, holds a stereotypical postcard which is on view in the exhibit, "Stereotypes," at the museum.

Intrigued, Hunter told her he would buy it sight unseen. She came back, and in her hands, was a small book.

“It was ‘Little Black Sambo,’” Hunter said with a chuckle. “So, I went ahead and bought it. I was going to have a huge bonfire and burn it.”

Today, that book — which Hunter didn’t burn — plays a prominent role in an exhibit at the museum called, “Stereotypes” — open through May 31. The exhibit features a collection that includes “Little Black Sambo” books and images, Aunt Jemima items, the Gold Dust Twins, Amos & Andy and Buckwheat items. These images, used widely in advertising campaigns, represented black Americans and influenced the perception of an entire race, Hunter said.

The exhibit got its start with a book Hunter once despised, “Little Black Sambo.”

“I actually read it,” Hunter said of his first “Little Black Sambo” purchase. He found it to be a great story after all.

He went out to his car, sat down with his little book, and read it cover to cover.

What did he think of it?

“Oh, I love it. It’s a wonderful story,” he said.

Written by Helen Bannerman in 1899, Sambo is actually an Indian boy — not African — who encounters several hungry tigers.

View full sizeAmos & Andy items are on view as part of the exhibit, "Stereotypes," at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in Buena Vista Township.

“There are no tigers in Africa,” Hunter said.

Sambo gives the tigers his new clothes, shoes and umbrellas so they won’t eat him, Hunter said.

“The tigers start chasing each other, faster and faster until they turn into butter,” he said.

Sambo’s mom makes him pancakes, and he slathers those pancakes with his newly churned “tiger” butter.

Hunter has 32 pieces of “Little Black Sambo” books and related items in his collection, he said. That very first “Sambo” book he bought is on view at the museum in the “Stereotypes” exhibit.

Other interesting items include postcards, dolls that date back to the late 1800s, and a favorite of Hunter’s — a life-size statue of Aunt Jemima — a rare find.

If you go: “Stereotypes” is open at the African American Heritage Museum through May 31. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey is located at 661 Jackson Road, Newtonville. For more information call, 609-704-5495 or visit, www.aahmsnj.org.